The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-29

] =
woman. Let no man make the mistake that
| this will take care of itself. We have to take
| care of others, and these others take care of
! still others. Each generation is the custodian
| of its successor. If we are groaning under
| evils that are unremarked, because so com
mon, yet not the less heavy, it is because our
! fathers neglected their opportunities. We
| have been the heirs of no end of defects ard
| indulgence upon this particular question. and
| the result is visible. Is there Church repre-
| sented here which has not to lament every day
/ of its existence the dearth of genuine interest
among the young people? They lapse from
the services in the Sanctuary. They are grad
ually drifting away from the Sunday school
They are STAN ped with the impress OF a grow
ing and deuominating sectarianism. We can
not hold them here as well as our fathers
could, even. / suspect this fault has been
growing upon us from generation to genera
tion. If anybody doubts this statement let
itgo. It'll no great consequence; that it might
be better | submit to the Conventions is the
only question that should be pressed home
upon the Convention. | stand here to boast
of the past and to profess great things as to
the future. | get no consolation from the
fact that we are doing as well as our fathers
did, we should do better. If thing is bad it
can he remedied and should be remeded
Did somebody ask how we are to separate
the young people from the great mass of the
congregation? There are two or three reasons
why this is in itself a desirable thing to do
In the first place they feel more freedom by
themselves. They get away from leading
strings and feel more responsible. | believe
it will be found practical if the young people
are allowed to work out their owr salvation.
If young people are entrusted with special
work, they will at least show more genuine
regard for the work committed to them They
may make mistakes. Errors of the head can
be corrected, the main thing is to get the
heart right, aHre with the spirit of the Gospel
What is the matter with the Sundsy-school?
We get our young people together in the
Sunday school, only in few years to find
them separated from it, The actual Sunday
School is one thing and the theoretical Sun.
day-school is another. think thatwe should
gather the young people under the wings of
the Church, and by teaching them morals and
faith and spirituality by setting them good
examples, train them up into Christian lives
That is great thing, but it is not practical
that is, not in the fullness and completeness
that we desire. Is it not matter of common
remark that there are level-beaded men who
have ventured inquire whether the Sunday
school is not an actual damage to the Church?
I do not believe that. No man could conceive
it were it not for the defects and difficulties
presented in our Sunday-schools of to-day
The first of these difficulties is the almost
universal lack of system OF the Sunday-school
work, proceeding upon no organized plan and
with no definite and inte ligent mode of opera
ton. Each teacher LETT in the main to his
own methods and impressions, to draw from
his own experience with no strictly marked
course of work and standard of attainment
set before him. There is uo reason why this
| should be so.
The Sunday-school does not provide for that
freedom and responsibility which beeets in
terest in young people.
believe in the Sunday-school and would by
no means see it done away with. but these de
| fects should be met and overcome The first
| difficulty, lack of method. can be remedied
from within. But the other defect must be
remedied from without. that is by appeaIs TO
the enthusiasm of the young people; ana for
this broad and specific reason we urge the
organization OF a Young Peoples Missionary
Association. What does it mean, what can
underlic that term missionary" 1t is love
to God aud love to man in the most intense
degree, # is only when the elements of q
''"s al" p'' F"u7 anu IiHuehee our felng
'''' .' a. 'iioN ca 10 niaAe saetinees. Mis-
-A990' '''Iuu Is " socIetS Iof dong re-
vi ~ Ho' io' 'he contemplation OF re-
.'sloUS e soPies' MOI merely TO engage in some
form Of activity, but actively to apply relig.
- -, =. nv 'p'es' II we nave any ouJect as
''iS'l"n uHu'cu "ua' Is II bht TINS one, to
'u"s pe"P'e 10 oe rengIous. 1t Is not
o'ouE" " ''"' men shouIu oe interested; it is
ny ol'ous" 'na' 'ney shouo add 10 their in
80 80, "e'in'h''y auu PhlIanlhtopy; 1t is re-
-, '.'','l ''"' nc sHoulu give ms heaft
A"" ""'ie We "o"le no Jot OF en-
pi"9'9 , uiO,' '"e integrity ana morals which
VI our c'''|ehS we insist upon
- not io'kt' 10 ie"u lhem IN
~ - ~ ,i'e -1l'"' an" give them the open
~ ~ o'i'
NM i"o 10 say WIN as much dill
80 90 p"ss'"'e' 'u"' II Is On TINS account
u w 'o' E''" 'n'u' slesIv ever the
l,.t..' ,."O9 Ia oui cH"rehts Tor dealing
-" 0''"4 p'"p'e' 40 lat as my experience
- 70 nv, '"e lS'elous result attained
.A"l ousut 10 oe expected. There is some
-. 80 ~ '''9' iHese socleues provide no
~. 0.'o.i'' "'''' II" o'Ra"Islh 10 cultivate IN
yo"He any 'eHeIous Itt1h=' they are
5' "PPs"'' ~ tne IH'eHeclual taste to
80 - '"t 0'"'I nS II lower pond. They
-. - Vi '"e young people
o""- pe'p'e an" "'u people too have JUST
'", ~ I" a pe"u' II we squahderl 1t
V"'7''1 y, ''0 '"UFe"' we take II lom the
Cu ,,., ne o"ulo' nave our cake ana eat it